Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Heretics within the Church

Heretics within the Church change
Christian liberty into unrestrained license. The Epistle of St. Jude
is a warning to them.

The above is from an introduction to the
Epistle of St. Jude in a 1941 Douay-Rheims New Testament from the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine.

This short but timely epistle is about judgment,
sin, punishment, infiltrators, sensual men, ungodly sinners, reproof, and being without sin and spotless. Nothing here about recognizing "elements of sanctification" in sinful lifestyles.

“. . . in the last time there should
come mockers, walking according to their own desires in
ungodlinesses.” v. 18.

The Epistle of St. Jude.

[1] Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ,
and brother of James: to them that are beloved in God the Father, and
preserved in Jesus Christ, and called. [2] Mercy unto you, and peace,
and charity be fulfilled. [3] Dearly beloved, taking all care to
write unto you concerning your common salvation, I was under a
necessity to write unto you: to beseech you to contend earnestly for
the faith once delivered to the saints.

[4] For certain men are secretly
entered in, (who were written of long ago unto this judgment,)
ungodly men, turning the grace of our Lord God into riotousness, and
denying the only sovereign Ruler, and our Lord Jesus Christ. [5] I
will therefore admonish you, though ye once knew all things, that
Jesus, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, did
afterwards destroy them that believed not: [6] And the angels who
kept not their principality, but forsook their own habitation, he
hath reserved under darkness in everlasting chains, unto the judgment
of the great day.

[7] As Sodom and Gomorrha, and the
neighbouring cities, in like manner, having given themselves to
fornication, and going after other flesh, were made an example,
suffering the punishment of eternal fire. [8] In like manner these
men also defile the flesh, and despise dominion, and blaspheme
majesty. [9] When Michael the archangel, disputing with the devil,
contended about the body of Moses, he durst not bring against him the
judgment of railing speech, but said: The Lord command thee. [10] But
these men blaspheme whatever things they know not: and what things
soever they naturally know, like dumb beasts, in these they are
corrupted.

Last Judgment - Pieter Bruegel the Elder

[11] Woe unto them, for they have gone
in the way of Cain: and after the error of Balaam they have for
reward poured out themselves, and have perished in the contradiction
of Core. [12] These are spots in their banquets, feasting together
without fear, feeding themselves, clouds without water, which are
carried about by winds, trees of the autumn, unfruitful, twice dead,
plucked up by the roots, [13] Raging waves of the sea, foaming out
their own confusion; wandering stars, to whom the storm of darkness
is reserved for ever.

[14] Now of these Enoch also, the
seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying: Behold, the Lord cometh with
thousands of his saints, [15] To execute judgment upon all, and to
reprove all the ungodly for all the works of their ungodliness,
whereby they have done ungodly, and of all the hard things which
ungodly sinners have spoken against God. [16] These are murmurers,
full of complaints, walking according to their own desires, and their
mouth speaketh proud things, admiring persons for gain' s sake.

[17] But you, my dearly beloved, be
mindful of the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of
our Lord Jesus Christ, [18] Who told you, that in the last time there
should come mockers, walking according to their own desires in
ungodlinesses. [19] These are they, who separate themselves, sensual
men, having not the Spirit. [20] But you, my beloved, building
yourselves upon your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, [21]
Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord
Jesus Christ, unto life everlasting.

[22] And some indeed reprove, being
judged: [23] But others save, pulling them out of the fire. And on
others have mercy, in fear, hating also the spotted garment which is
carnal. [24] Now to him who is able to preserve you without sin, and
to present you spotless before the presence of his glory with
exceeding joy, in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, [25] To the
only God our Saviour through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory and
magnificence, empire and power, before all ages, and now, and for all
ages of ages. Amen.